Tuesday, 31 January 2017

It seems that someone not standing for the national anthem

is more worthy of headlines than people being left stranded or people facing the horrors of terror and war, or people dying.There are apparently a couple of idiots who are facing each other in a "boxing match". It is apparently a big "sporting event" of some sort. The national anthem will be played beforehand - and one of them is saying he will refuse to stand for it. He says it is "racist".Now it so happens that I do not like Downunder's national anthem. I think the words are ridiculous and the tune sounds like a dirge. That said I will stand for it. If I was the guest in another country and the national anthem played and people stood for it then I would do the same. I would not be doing so out of any allegiance to their country but out of respect for my hosts. It is just one of those things you do, that you should do simply to be polite.I have no doubt that the boxer in question is using the occasion to make publicity for himself...and it is working. People are criticising him for his stance and that is getting him headlines in the media. The story has got more coverage than news which affects hundreds of thousands of people. It is an interesting reflection on what is considered important. It is an even more interesting reflection on what those in charge of the media believe people should know or not know, what they believe people want to know, and what they believe people can handle. This man who says he won't stand for the national anthem is apparently going to legally try and knock another man senseless. If he fought the other man in the street then he would be arrested for assault. People don't seem to see anything odd about that. This "fight" is supposedly a "sporting event". It is violence and it will surely breed violence as young boys "fight" one another in the belief they are emulating him and his opponent.There's something wrong with all of this, not just the failure to stand for the national anthem.